Editor’s Note: This is Part 12 of a 12-part series previewing Western Kentucky’s 2017 football opponents.

IRVING, Texas – Butch Davis’ name carries plenty of weight in south Florida.

The veteran coach was a Miami (Fla.) assistant in the 1980s under Jimmy Johnson, helping the Hurricanes to a national title in ’87.

A decade later, Davis took over the Miami program after it was hit by NCAA sanctions. He responded by assembling one of the most talented rosters in college football history, setting the stage for the 2001 Hurricanes to win a national crown one year after he left to coach the Cleveland Browns.

Seventeen years after Davis left Miami for the NFL’s Browns, he’s back in the city. This time he’s tasked with reviving a struggling FIU football program.

The Panthers haven’t enjoyed a winning season since going 8-5 in 2011 under former coach Mario Cristobal. Since then, FIU is 17-43 and hasn’t made a bowl game.

The Panthers’ first regular season under Davis will end Nov. 24 against Western Kentucky.

FIU will host the Hilltoppers at Ricardo Silva Stadium on the day after Thanksgiving, with BeIN Sports to broadcast the game.

When Davis coaches the Panthers’ season opener Aug. 31 at Central Florida, it will be his first time coaching a game since a four-year run at North Carolina from 2007-10.

“Obviously I looked at opportunities over the last couple of years and none of them really fit the type of environment and the type of culture I really wanted to get into,” Davis told the Daily News last month at Conference USA Media Days. “Going back to FIU obviously with 11 years of having coached in Miami, the high school coaches, you know the programs throughout the state. You know the access to athletes.

“You know the academic aspects of FIU are very intriguing because it’s an easy sell with the kids you’re going to try to recruit. So it’s very exciting to be back in Miami.”

Davis said the school has made $11 million worth of investment into the program since his hire. That includes two new practice fields, new stadium turf and additional strength and conditioning personnel.

Davis is also trying to improve the program’s recruiting, calling upon local connections he made during his time in Miami with the Hurricanes.

Today’s recruits are too young to remember Davis’ 2000 Miami team that featured Ed Reed, Andre Johnson, Clinton Portis and a collection of other future NFL stars. But those recruits’ parents and high school coaches are likely to be familiar with the coach’s work, he said.

Davis has brought former Hurricanes stars Damione Lewis and Russell Maryland in to watch FIU practice and talk to the team.

“There are a lot of people, whether they’re in administration or coaching or are parents, they’ve seen me coach before,” Davis said. “They know the culture, they know the environment, they know how I treat kids, their sons and the emphasis I put on academics. … I think parents respect that.”

The 2017 Panthers were picked to finish sixth in the C-USA East Division, behind WKU, Middle Tennessee, Old Dominion, Marshall and Florida Atlantic and ahead of only Charlotte.

The lone FIU player named to the 2017 Preseason All-C-USA Team was linebacker Anthony Wint. The Homestead, Fla., native racked up 108 tackles last season, 19 of which came for a loss.

The Panthers return starting quarterback Alex McGough from the 2016 team. The senior from Tampa, Fla., completed 58.4 percent of his passes last year for 210.1 yards per game with 13 touchdowns against 11 interceptions.

2017 FIU football schedule

8/31 – at Central Florida

9/9 – Alcorn State

9/16 – at Indiana

9/23 – at Rice

9/30 – Charlotte

10/7 – at Middle Tennessee

10/14 – Tulane

10/28 – at Marshall

11/4 – UTSA

11/11 – Old Dominion

11/18 – at Florida Atlantic

11/24 – Western Kentucky